• Belden Photographs and Negatives
• Biographical Information
• Digital Materials

Belden Photographs and Negatives

The Charles J. Belden collection at the American Heritage Center consists of approximately 3,000 original negatives. Most of these images were taken in the 1920s and 1930s on the legendary Pitchfork Ranch near Meeteetse, Wyoming. Located at the base of the Absaroka Mountains, the 250,000 acre ranch proved fertile ground for Belden's photography.  By photographing cowboys and cattle against the spectacular backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, he created some of the classic images of the American West.  His photographs convey a sense of energy, vitality, and adventure and indicate an understanding of dramatic scene composition as well as the hardships of the Wyoming range.

Belden used his photographs to publicize the Pitchfork Dude Ranch, to illustrate his articles about cowboy life, and for marketing himself and his photography.  His photography can be found in the magazines National Geographic and Dude Rancher.  Belden was a versatile photographer and the collection contains a variety of images, including everyday life on the Pitchfork Ranch, scenes from Yellowstone National Park, and trips to Europe, the American Southwest, and Latin America.

Only one negative exists for each Belden image, although many reprints exist. The preservation of these original negatives is of particular importance to the American Heritage Center. The emulsion of the glass plate negatives has a tendency to flake at the edges and break off or scratch. Nitrate negatives in the collection are deteriorating rapidly and require duplication. 

^ Back to Top

Biographical Information 

Charles Josiah Belden was born in 1888 into a wealthy California family. His grandfather, Josiah Belden, was an early California pioneer who made millions in San Francisco real estate. Charles Belden bought his first camera to record a European tour with his school friend, Eugene Phelps.  The highlight of the tour was a journey through Russia in Belden’s 1908 Packard, the first automobile to make such a trip in the country.  After the trip, Belden went to work as a cowboy on the Phelps ranch in Wyoming.  In 1912, Belden married Eugene's sister, Frances.  The couple had three children, Annice, Margot, and Mary Elizabeth, who died while still a toddler.  Eugene’s father died in 1922, leaving Eugene and Charles to take over management of the ranch.  The pair did a poor job of ranch management, in part because Charles was more interested in photography and Eugene preferred tinkering with the ranch equipment.

Airplanes became a fascination for Belden.  In the late 1920s, Charles became involved in raising antelope and sending them by airplane to zoos around the world, including some to Germany in the Hindenburg.  He helped to pioneer the process of planting fish from the air and filmed the experience for future reference.  In addition, he helped the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission conduct a census of wildlife herd populations using aerial photographs.

Estate taxes, mismanagement, and an agricultural depression that began in 1921 took their toll on the Pitchfork and the ranch fell into decline. To meet expenses, in the 1930’s the family turned their home into a dude ranch, but this response did not stop the financial drain. After many years of strained relations, Charles divorced Frances in 1940 and moved to Florida with a new wife, Verna Steele Belden.  Charles Belden died in 1963 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

^ Back to Top

Digital Materials

• Photographs:  A selection of 30 images that can be viewed as groups: images 1-10, 11-20, or 21-30.
• Exhibit:  The AHC Exhibit Uphill and Against the Wind features Belden's photographs.
• Inventory:  A finding aid to Belden's photographs and negatives. 

Find out more about Belden's papers held at the American Heritage Center through the online catalog. You may also contact or visit the Reference Services at the American Heritage Center for additional information.

^ Back to Top